As competition remains depressed in response to geopolitical turmoil, the Israeli government is purportedly courting Dubai-based Emirates to operate nonstop service between Tel Aviv and key destinations like New York and Bangkok.

Israeli Government Asks Emirates To Operate Nonstop Flights From Tel Aviv To New York + Bangkok

Israel faces a problem: wars against Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran have caused many carriers to suspend service to Tel Aviv, with both safety and commercial concerns informing their route suspensions.

While service on EL AL has continued uninterrupted, the lack of supply coupled with strong demand has pushed prices up and made it very expensive to travel to Israel.

But Dan’s Deals cites a report from Israel’s N12 that senior officials from Emirates met with Israel’s Ministry of Transportation, with the Israeli side bringing a specific request: please start service from Tel Aviv, even if the service is seventh freedom (Emirates flying from Tel Aviv to New York without a continuation to/from Dubai).

Were that to happen, we might see packed A380s traveling between Tel Aviv and New York, the sort of thing I think most of us would have dismissed as absurd just a few years, even as ties between the UAE and Israel have warmed.

The Mechanism Is Already In Place For Emirates Flights

I think all this talk about Seventh Freedom routes is somewhat silly. Emirates suspended service to Tel Aviv after the October 7, 2023 attacks and Israel would like to see that link restored as well.

As I understand it, this could be structured as a Fifth Freedom route tied to resumed Dubai – Tel Aviv service, potentially with the same flight number continuing onward even if the aircraft itself changes. So Emirates could still run a smaller aircraft between Tel Aviv and Dubai while operating an A380-800 between Tel Aviv and New York in which tickets are sold as a stand-alone flight.

Service between Dubai and Tel Aviv may currently be suspended, but by resuming that service along with the new service, Israeli laws would not have to be re-written and no permission would have to be sought from the USA. That seems like the path of least resistance to me…

Of course you can expect US and Israeli carriers to put up a fight, but their fight would be driven over fear of competition from world’s most profitable airline…I’m not anticipating a valid argument because there is nothing stopping American Airlines or Delta Air Lines from immediately resuming service to Tel Aviv, but both have made clear there is no immediate interest in doing so.

CONCLUSION

The Israeli government reportedly met with Emirates and pitched the idea of Emirates operating nonstop flights from Tel Aviv to destinations including New York and Bangkok. While I’m not expecting an imminent route announcement, I could certainly see these routes being announced in the future, though most likely as Fifth Freedom routes connected to the resumption of Dubai service, not stand-alone routes.

If Emirates would just resume its Tel Aviv service, Israelis and travelers to Israel would have more choice in getting to New York, Bangkok, and beyond.

image: Emirates